This early-20th century apartment building in east central Illinois was
designed in a Dutch Revival Style using red brick, roof dormers, and
stepped gables. By the time the property was listed on the National
Register in 1988, however, it had suffered from deferred maintenance and
was plagued by criminal activity. The building was eventually abandoned
and the absentee owner declared bankruptcy.

A local nonprofit developer who had long admired the building’s architecture
purchased the property in 2000, restored the building to its historic
appearance, and added it to his portfolio of successful affordable housing
complexes. In addition to federal tax credits and housing grants, a portion
of the $7 million restoration was funded through environmental grants for
LEED-certified projects. A new geothermal system is expected to reduce
utility costs for the 46 units by as much as 50%. Affordable Housing Finance
magazine recently listed the project among its Readers’ Choice Awards for
the Nation’s Best Affordable Housing Developments.